A Fairy Tale Ending
by Elise Lowing
Summary: The final showdown with Acnologia has come. The Demon Dragon is near invincible, and hope is all but gone. But this fight is far from over. A voice breaks through the silence of despair, and shines the light that can end this terror once and for all. Natsu, Lucy, and their comrades will need to pull together to save the world, and the ones they love.
1. Chapter 1: Magic of Hope

**Fairy Tail**

 **A Fairy Tale Ending**

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **Well, the final fight with Acnologia has finally come. Oh man, am I hyped for it! I've been waiting for this fight for so long!**

 **That said, I did say a while back that I would make a fan fiction with Acnologia in it. And well, here it is.**

 **Acnologia vs. the Dragon Slayers. The fate of the world hangs in the balance, and only one side will emerge victorious.**

 **However, this is going to be different from my other fan fictions.**

 **Unlike by previous stories ("One Magic" and "Eternal Brothers"), this one isn't a prediction of how I think the final fight in the Fairy Tail manga might go. To be honest, this is actually connected to my own fan fiction: "True Light". For those who know the story, you'll be in for a treat, as a certain character from that story are going to make their appearances in this one.**

 **For those who don't know what I'm talking about, I recommend you check out my "True Light" fan fiction before reading this, because there are some spoilers. Also, I recommend you read the revised edition, as it has more information that will be helpful in this story.**

 **Now, this is not a replacement for what will happen in the manga. I'm sure I'll enjoy the finale that Hiro Mashima has in mind. This is just my version of how the ending of the story will play out, and a way to make the Fairy Tail canon somewhat tied to my "True Light" canon in a way that only fan fiction can do.**

 **Plus, in a way, this will help me figure out how I'm going to end my revised "True Light" story. I was going to wait until the manga ended, but I've decided to do this instead.**

 **This story starts right where Chapter 540 ended. So, I guess you can say it's my version of Chapter 541. Geez, that last page of 540 couldn't have been ended any better.**

 **Without further ado, let's go!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters. I am merely exploring an alternate story.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Magic of Hope**

 _"It seems I'll have to teach you exactly why I am called the Dragon King!"_

* * *

 **The Ultimate Fight Between Dragon Slayers Has Come, and the Fate of the World Hangs in the Balance.**

* * *

This was it. This was the fight of their lives. The reason why the five Dragon Slayers were sent into the present.

Natsu stood among his Dragon Slayer companions: Gajeel, Wendy, Laxus, Erik, Sting, and Rogue. Together, they faced their greatest threat.

Acnologia. The Demon Dragon.

"YOU'RE GOIN' DOWN!" Natsu roared.

With reckless abandon, the Fire Dragon Slayer charged forward. Vengeance filled his eyes. His enemy, the one who murdered Igneel right before his eyes, was now within striking distance. This was Natsu chance to avenge Igneel, and put an end to Acnologia's terror.

However, the moment Natsu tried to move his right arm, he was hit with the realization that it was still in horrible condition. His face screwed up as the agony of the burned and damaged muscles surged through his body.

Acnologia sensed Natsu's pain and grinned with evil amusement. With a simple swing of his right arm, he released his Dragon Slayer Magic towards the sakura-haired man. Natsu howled as that Magic added to his pain, and he was flung backwards. He hit the ground with tremendous force, and tumbled for a few feet.

"NATSU!" Wendy cried out in alarm.

"LOOK OUT, WENDY!"

Gajeel darted in front of Wendy and put his arms up in a defensive pose. Acnologia had attempted to hit the distracted Sky Dragon Slayer with his Magic. Thankfully, Gajeel had activated his Iron Dragon Scales and shielded Wendy. Although the impact was still painful, it would've been a lot worse if he hadn't stopped it.

When Acnologia saw Gajeel's valiant effort, he simply grinned.

"Metalicanna's Magic," he sneered. "I should've guessed."

"Wendy, we can hold off Acnologia for a while!" Gajeel said. "You go and heal Natsu!"

"Right!" Wendy nodded sharply.

Gajeel turned to the other Dragon Slayers.

"Alright, everyone! It's now or never! You ready?!"

"Yeah!" the Dragon Slayers all answered in unison.

Acnologia's wicked smile grew even more as five Dragon Slayers charged towards him. Meanwhile, Wendy rushed over to Natsu as fast as she could. The moment she reached him, she knelt down to his right arm and immediately began to heal it.

"Wendy…" Natsu groaned.

"Don't worry, Natsu." Wendy said calmly. "You'll be healed in no time."

Natsu watched as his arm began to be mended and repaired. The burned and torn skin was slowly returning to normal, and he was starting to get some feeling back in his fingers. He slowly flexed them as the pain grew less and less.

During that time, the other Dragon Slayers were attacking Acnologia with everything they had. Gajeel threw all of the Iron Dragon Slayer weapons in his arsenal, Laxus set off countless bursts of lightning, Erik slashed violently with his Poison Dragon claws, and Sting and Rogue attacked in all directions.

However, none of them could land a single hit on Acnologia. The evil Dragon Slayer just stood where he was, taking each blow as they came, and not getting even so much as a scratch. Even Erik's deadly poison didn't faze him in the slightest.

It was like nothing could touch him.

Finally, in one last ditch effort to do at least some damage, the fighting Dragon Slayers simultaneously decided to hit Acnologia with everything they had.

"IRON DRAGON…!"

"LIGHTNING DRAGON…!"

"POISON DRAGON…!"

"WHITE DRAGON…!"

"SHADOW DRAGON…!"

 **"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!"**

All five Dragon Slayers let out their breath attacks at the same time. The attacks hit their target, engulfing Acnologia in an explosion that shook the ravines of time itself.

Everyone collectively held their breath, waiting to see what would happen next. For a while, it looked as if the combined attacks did some actual damage to the Demon Dragon Slayer.

However, before any of them could exhale in relief, the Magic surrounding Acnologia began to distort and grow smaller. They all gasped with horror when they realized what was happening.

Acnologia was eating all of their attacks!

In less than a second, Acnologia had completely devoured every last drop of their attacks. What's worse, he was still unscathed.

"Is that the best that you can do?" he asked. "Even Igneel was able to do more damage to me than all of you combined."

Everyone froze with terror. Nothing that they threw at this guy had any affect. On top of that, their fights with Alvarez had taken a huge toll on them to begin with. They didn't have enough power to continue fighting much longer.

Acnologia grunted in boredom.

"You all honestly call this Dragon Slayer Magic?" he said, his voice low. "No matter how hard you try, none of you have the strength to stand against me. None of you could even slay one Dragon."

Acnologia began to summon his Dragon Slayer Magic. Everyone tensed and braced themselves for what was to come.

"Now you see how futile it is to stand against me!" Acnologia shouted. "I am Acnologia, the Dragon King! Nothing can touch me!"

Acnologia released his Magic, and it blasted in a blinding blue light. All the Dragon Slayers became caught up in it and were sent flying in all directions, screaming and howling.

Natsu became disoriented as the world around him began to spin out of control. He crashed into several crystal pillars, several shards slicing his skin and cloths as he did.

The last thing Natsu remembered was the ground rushing to meet him.

Then, total blackout.

* * *

"Natsu and the others are fighting Acnologia's soul?!" Lucy trembled. She was insanely relieved to hear that Natsu was alive, but she was deathly afraid of the danger that was approaching.

"We have to do what we can to defend Magnolia." Erza commanded, trying to maintain order. "Acnologia's Dragon form is coming this way, and we're the only ones who can stand up against him."

"But none of us are Dragon Slayers." Bixslow pointed out. "And we couldn't land so much as a scratch on him back at Tenrou."

"We'll just have to do what we can for now and hope that the Dragon Slayers can beat him." Minerva replied. "If they defeat his soul, then hopefully, his physical body will cease to function as well."

"Let's hope so." Yukino said softly.

"Then let's get ready." Gray ordered. "It's only a matter of time before Acnologia gets here, and we gotta pull all the strength we have together."

"I agree, my darling." Juvia nodded.

Lucy held her breath, trying to ease her nerves. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that none of them had a chance to stop Acnologia. He not only did he nearly succeed in killing the strongest Fairy Tail wizards seven years ago, but he managed to kill Igneel with little effort. And if what Erza said about Acnologia being able to eat all Magic was true, then there was not even a sliver of hope of defeating him.

What's more, Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers were fighting Acnologia's soul, and there was nothing Lucy could do to help them. She had just gotten Natsu back, and now she was going to lose him again. Just the thought of that made her heart hurt so badly that it was unbearable.

She lost him once. She couldn't lose him again. Not for good.

"Natsu…"

It was in that moment that Lucy heard a voice.

 _"Lucy."_

Lucy gasped in surprise. It wasn't a voice she had heard before. At the same time…she felt like she knew this voice.

She jolted and looked around, trying to find the person the voice belonged to.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" Happy asked, worried.

"I could've sworn I heard something."

 _"Lucy."_

Lucy froze, her eyes wide with shock. She definitely knew she heard a voice that time. The voice sounded like it came from inside her head. It was a woman's voice, that much she was sure.

 _"Lucy, don't lose hope. You still have a chance."_

 _"Who are you?"_ Lucy's thoughts said to the voice in her head.

 _"Someone who knows how to defeat Acnologia,"_ the voice replied, her tone serious. _"You are the key to putting an end to his terror."_

 _"What?! Me?!"_ Lucy froze in shock.

 _"Listen to me carefully,"_ the voice said calmly, _"Natsu and the Dragon Slayers need you. He will call for you. When he does, I will guide you to him. But you need to be ready when he does. Now, do as I tell you. This is our last chance."_

* * *

 ** _A Ray of Hope that is a Voice, is the Key to Ending the Demon Dragon's Terror._**

 ** _To Be Continued in the Next Chapter: The Secret Power_**


	2. Chapter 2: The Secret Power

**The Secret Power**

* * *

 ** _Who Calls Out in this Time of Darkness? Who Holds the Answer to Acnologia's Demise?_**

* * *

 _"Natsu. Natsu, wake up."_

 _Natsu slowly opened his eyes. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. It took him a moment to bring his world into focus. Once he did, he saw that he was surrounded by a white, dreamy plain._

 _He recognized this place. This is what he saw when he had taken a journey through his heart._

 _And if that wasn't proof enough, he wasn't feeling any pain. His cloths were completely untouched, and there wasn't so much as a scar on his body._

 _"Man," he moaned, "I must've hit my head harder than I thought."_

 _"Natsu."_

 _Natsu jolted when he heard a voice. It was the same one that had woken him up. He had never heard that voice in his life. And yet…it was oddly familiar to him._

 _He turned around quickly, and was shocked by what he saw._

 _Standing before him was a woman._

 _She was a tall woman, who looked to be in her early twenties. She was dressed in a strange outfit that consisted of a white skin-tight suit that reached up to her neck, and went down just past her thighs. Around her waist was a short black open skirt, and on her feet, were red ankle-high sandals. Around her eyes as well as on her knees, upper arms, and on both sides of her torso were patches of white dragon scales._

 _On each side of her outfit were openings, revealing her dragon scales. Covering her chest and abdomen was a large green breastplate. Her back was exposed from the base of her shoulder blades, up to the nape of her neck. On her lower arms and legs were blue and gold guards. Her long hair was emerald green, and tied back in a ponytail. Around her head, she wore a lavender circlet, with a strange symbol decorating the center of her forehead._

 _But the thing that caught Natsu's attention the most was her eyes. The woman's eyes were piercing cyan, and had slits for the pupils. Their appearance was exactly that of a Dragon's._

 _The moment Natsu saw this woman, he rose to his feet._

 _"Who are you?!" he asked defensively. "Why are you here?!"_

 _"Natsu," the mysterious woman said, "it won't be long until Acnologia finds you again, so listen to me carefully. You're Dragon Slayer Magic alone will not work on Acnologia. Same goes for the rest of the Dragon Slayers. He can absorb almost all your Magic."_

 _"But why?" Natsu asked. "How is that even possible?"_

 _"Because his brand of Dragon Slayer Magic is Etherion," the woman explained. "He's the Etherion Dragon Slayer."_

 _"Etherion?" Natsu's eyes widened, and his stomach froze. "Does that mean…he's invincible?"_

 _For that horrible moment, Natsu was afraid this woman would say that Acnologia was invincible, and that all their efforts to defeat him would be useless._

 _However, the woman shook her head._

 _"No. It is true that Acnologia is powerful, but there's still one way you can beat him. He has one, but very crucial weakness. There is one type of Magic he cannot devour."_

 _Natsu looked up with alert._

 _"What is it?!" he asked, desperate. "What's the Magic he can't devour?! Tell me, please!"_

 _The woman narrowed her eyes in a serious manner before answering in a low voice,_

 _"Celestial Magic."_

 _Natsu caught his breath in shock._

 _That was Acnologia's weakness? Celestial Magic?_

 _"The reason for this is because Celestial Magic is an otherworldly Magic," the woman explained. "Acnologia can devour only the kind of Magic that originated in this world. Celestial Magic's power comes from another world. It connects one world to another, as well as time itself. Therefore, he cannot devour it, or any Magic imbued with it."_

 _"I don't get it." Natsu rose and eyebrow. "How do you know all of this? Just who are you? How did you even get here? I don't remember meeting someone like you."_

 _The woman became silent. She looked off to the side with a rather ambiguous expression._

 _"To be honest," she said, "I don't know quite know why I'm here. As for how I know all this, let's just say I've lived a pretty long time."_

 _Natsu stared, his eyes wide with shock. He couldn't even ask a single question._

 _The woman then became very alert and looked up._

 _"He's on the move!" she whispered fearfully._

 _"Hey, what's wrong?" Natsu asked nervously._

 _"Natsu, listen!" she said, her voice strong and urgent. "We don't have much time! While Acnologia's soul is attacking you in the ravines of time, his shell is going to attack Magnolia!"_

 _"What?! But that's where-!"_

 _"The only way to save both worlds is by defeating Acnologia's soul here!" the woman explained. "Do that, and his body will lose its life force! But to defeat him, you'll need the aid of a powerful Celestial Wizard!"_

 _The moment the strange woman said, "Celestial Wizard", an image of a certain person flashed in Natsu's mind._

 _For a brief second, Lucy Hearfillia's smiling face was staring right back at him. However, instead of filling him with the usual happiness, he felt a horrible sense of dread._

 _"But I…" he hesitated. "I can't put her in danger like that. I swore I'd defeat Acnologia myself. I can't get her mixed up in this."_

 _The woman sensed Natsu's worry and her expression softened. Gently, she took both of his hand and held them in hers. Natsu jolted in surprise. Her hands were soft and warm, but also strong._

 _The thing that surprised Natsu was the fact that this woman's hands were solid at all. The last time he met people inside his heart, they were all illusions he could easily walk right through._

 _But not this one. This woman was a solid form, with the warmth of a human._

 _"I know you don't want to put her in danger," she said, "But you have to understand, this is your last chance. I know how much you want to protect the ones you love, and that is noble of you. But if you don't call her to help you, then there won't be a world left you, her, or anyone else. Acnologia will destroy all of it. I know it's hard, but you have to take this chance."_

 _Natsu opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. There was no way he could argue against that. He knew this woman was right. This was their last chance, and he had to take it, regardless of the consequences that might follow._

 _Still, he couldn't deny the growing fear of what might come, or what he might lose. Just the mere thought of losing anyone else to that monster made his stomach drop and his heart squeeze._

 _"Don't worry," the woman said, "as long as you are in the ravines of time, I will be with you."_

 _"But…how do I even get Lucy here?" Natsu asked, hesitant._

 _"Just call out her name, and she will come to you. I promise I will do whatever I can to help you keep her safe. Just trust me."_

 _Natsu stared hard into this woman's eyes. They were strong and fierce, just like a Dragon's. And they were filled with honesty. Natsu could sense that she was truthful in every word she spoke._

 _"Okay," he nodded. "I will."_

 _The woman lowered her head and released Natsu's hands. She then stepped back and lifted her gaze._

 _"Now go," the woman ordered. "Awake and end this once and for all."_

 _At that moment, Natsu began to fade away from his heart. The aches and pains he had before were starting to return to him, telling him that he was going back to his consciousness. His cloths were starting to become tattered, and the blood stains from his injuries were painting back onto his skin._

 _"Wait!" Natsu yelled. "I still don't know who you are! Who are you?!"_

 _The woman gave a soft smile._

 _"Just someone who can help," she said. "But if you want, you can call me…"_

* * *

Acnologia walked around the labyrinth of crystals, hunting the Dragon Slayers. He knew that the blast he unleashed before had knocked all of them out, so he took his time tracking down his victims. There was no rush. He knew perfectly well that his Dragon form would easily wipe out Magnolia, and all the wizards in it. All he had to do was destroy the seven Dragon Slayers, and end the history of Dragons forever.

As Acnologia searched through the maze of crystals, he began think about which Dragon Slayer he would kill first. The Sky Dragon Slayer runt would be an easy one to pick off first, not to mention it would mean the others would lose their healer. Then again, the Iron Dragon Slayer was one of the stronger ones. Taking him out while he was down would be a smart decision.

However, Acnologia's thoughts kept going back to the Fire Dragon Slayer. Not only was he injured and exhausted from his fight with Zeref, but there was something about him that angered Acnologia. The moment he first saw that man, he hated him. He hated him so much that he deliberately prolonged the crystallization process just to make the him suffer.

That is, until the other Dragon Slayers intervened.

"He looks like…her." Acnologia muttered resentfully, clenching his fist so hard it trembled. "Especially in his eyes. I wanted to save him for last, but I changed my mind. I can't stand looking at his damn face."

At that moment, Acnologia was struck with a powerful sensation. It was enough to stop him dead in his tracks. His eyes widened, and for the first time in a long time, he had an unmistakable look of surprise.

This was a power that he knew all too well. He had felt it many times before in the past. Almost four hundred years ago. It was so powerful that it was enough to make even him shiver.

He felt it again eight years ago, only then, it was less powerful. Regardless, it drew him to Tenrou Island. He felt it again seven years after that, only stronger. He followed it to the ruins of Tartaros.

Each time he followed it, he couldn't find its source. All he knew was that it was somehow connected to that wizard guild, Fairy Tail.

Now, he was feeling it again. It was way stronger than any of the previous times. So much stronger that it almost felt like it was a physical presence.

And it was close.

The moment Acnologia realized this, his face changed to a very dangerous scowl. He looked down at his right hand and curved his fingers like they were claws.

"She's here!" he snarled. "I know it! The one who sealed me away! But how?! I captured only seven Dragon Slayers?! How did you slip through?! Why do you still taunt me?!"

Acnologia couldn't help it. He raised his head towards the sky and roared in a fit of rage.

 **"ALUUUUUUUUUUUU!"**

* * *

 _"I was called that name once. I might not know how got where I am, or just what exactly is going on, but I do know what I have to do. Natsu, Lucy, everyone, please; do what I could not. Save this world, and…put an end to his suffering."_

* * *

 ** _A Power and a Name, So Ancient and Strong, They Make Even the Dragon Tyrant Tremble with Fear and Fury._**

* * *

 ** _To Be Continued in the Next Chapter: Summon the Starfire_**


	3. Chapter 3: Summon the Starfire

**Summon the Starfire**

* * *

 ** _Time is Running Out, as the Wings of Despair Draw Near._**

* * *

Natsu groaned and he opened his eyes. He was lying flat on his back, right in the middle of a cluster of tall crystals. His whole body felt so stiff and raw that it took him a few seconds to find the strength to move. Slowly, and gasping in pain, Natsu sat up. He looked around for any sign of the other Dragon Slayers, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Gajeel! Wendy!" he called. "Anybody!"

No response.

Natsu sat right where he was, gripping his head. For a moment, he thought about his fellow Dragon Slayers. The last thing he could remember was Acnologia unleashing a powerful spell that sent them flying in different directions. At this point, there was no telling where they were now. But if he survived a crash landing, then there's no doubt that they all did, too.

Natsu's thoughts then went back to the vision he had before. After seeing that woman with the emerald hair and cyan Dragon eyes, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

"Who was that?" he whispered to himself. "Why did she seem so…familiar? She said I had to…"

Natsu bit his lips and clenched his fists as he remembered the woman's words. And image of Lucy flashed in his mind for a brief moment.

"I can't put her in danger like this," he said. "But…if she said is true, then I…"

With a sigh of defeat, Natsu's mind made itself up. He didn't like what he had to do, but he knew that there was no other choice. Acnologia had to be stopped, and he was the only one who could do anything about it.

"Okay. I'll find the others first. Then, I'll call for Lucy."

Using all of the effort he could muster, Natsu struggled to get to his feet. His plan was to sniff out the other Dragon Slayers so they could regroup. Hopefully, they were looking for him, too.

However, no sooner did he take one step forward, he was met with a horrible shock.

Acnologia appeared from around the corner right in front of Natsu. The moment he saw the Fire Dragon Slayer, his face gave a vicious scowl.

"YOU!"

"Acno-!"

Acnologia's right hand suddenly shot out and grabbed Natsu by the neck. Natsu choked as the Etherion Dragon Slayer tightened his grip and lifted him off the ground. Natsu struggled to get out of Acnologia's clenched hand, but his lack of oxygen made it hard for him to focus, let alone move.

"I can't take it anymore!" Acnologia snarled angrily. "I need to know! Who are you really?! What is our connection?!"

"W-What are you talking about?!" Natsu gagged.

"Don't play stupid with me!" Acnologia shouted, tightening his grip in frustration.

Natsu gasped for precious air. His vision became blurry, and he was starting to hear his own pulse in his ears.

"Why does her power lead me to you?!" Acnologia went on. "Tenrou Island! Tartaros! I sensed her power every time, but I still never found her! Now I feel her power again, and it leads me to you!"

"Wh-Who are you talking about?!" Natsu strained.

Acnologia yanked Natsu closer so that he was just inches away from his face. Through his blurred vision, Natsu could see all the rage and anger in Acnologia's dark eyes. It sent a cold chill down the sakura-haired man's spine.

"Does the name Alu mean anything to you?!" Acnologia demanded. "Tell me, NOW!"

Upon hearing that name, Natsu paused and his eyes widened a bit. He had heard that name before.

* * *

 _"But if you want, you can call me…Alu."_

* * *

That was name that woman used. Was she the Alu that Acnologia was talking about?

But how did Acnologia know that name?

Seeing Natsu's reaction, Acnologia tensed.

"YOU **DO** KNOW SOMETHING!" he roared.

With a force fueled by rage, Acnologia threw Natsu down to the ground so hard he made an indentation. Pain shot through Natsu's back, making him let out a stifled cry. Acnologia then stomped his foot down on Natsu's stomach, forcing all of the air out of him.

"How do you know Alu?!" Acnologia shouted. "Answer me!"

"I…I don't know any...Alu." Natsu said, his voice weak.

Acnologia's scowl grew even more and he pressed his foot deeper into Natsu's abdomen. Natsu opened his mouth to cry out, but all the pain pressing down on him suppressed his voice from getting out. He coughed and struggled to fill his lungs with air again.

"You lie!" Acnologia growled angrily. "You know something! I feel her power resonating from you! How did you get her power?!"

"I swear…I don't know…who you're talking about."

That response just made Acnologia tense even more. So much that blood vessels were starting to form on his arms and face.

Natsu was feeling afraid. Acnologia's death scowl was directed right at him, and there was an undeniable blazing in his eyes.

 _"Oh, man!"_ Natsu thought fearfully. _"This guy really wants to kill me now!"_

Natsu's fear rose up even more when Acnologia raised his right hand. An eerie dark blue lightning surrounded it, and his fingers were curled like claws.

"Guess I have to tear the truth out of you! Show me your soul!"

In one swift motion, Acnologia plunged his hand right into Natsu chest!

Natsu let out a quick cry of agony. No blood burst from Acnologia's attack, and there was no opening. But this hurt worse than anything Natsu had felt before. Even more than when Zeref stabbed in the gut. It felt like Acnologia was probing around inside him. Natsu felt a horrible pressure grab hold of his heart, and his pulse began to boom in his ears.

What was Acnologia doing to him?!

"Where is it?!" the Etherion Dragon Slayer growled with intense frustration. "Why can't I find it?!"

"Stop it, Acnologia!" Natsu demanded. "Leave my soul alone!"

"SILENCE!"

Natsu yelled loudly as Acnologia seized his soul. Natsu felt like his heart was being crushed like an orange.

"I've had enough!" Acnologia snarled viciously. "I can't stand that damn face of yours! I'm gonna kill you right here and now!"

Acnologia squeezed Natsu's soul even harder. At this point, the pain had become so excruciating that Natsu had gone completely numb. He couldn't move his arms or legs. He could hardly breathe. It felt like all of the life was being sucked out of him. His voice was all but gone. There was no way he could raise it to a shout.

Was this it? Was he gonna die here?

For one grim moment, Natsu gave into his fate. He wanted this pain to end. There was no hope left for him. The Dragon Slayers weren't coming. They weren't going to make it in time. There was no one left to save him.

Natsu's eyes fluttered closed. He was ready to die.

However, that quickly changed as an image slowly came into focus in his mind's eye. The image of a woman with long, golden hair, beautiful brown eyes, and a smile that ignited a warm flame in his heart every time.

 _Lucy!_

That's right! If Natsu gave up now, that meant he would leave everyone behind! He would leave Lucy behind!

No! He wasn't going to do that to her! Not again!

With a newfound conviction, Natsu snapped his eyes opened. Mustering up all the strength he could, he reached up with his right hand and seized Acnologia's wrist. Acnologia gave a small jolt of shock, and Natsu tightened his grip as much as he could.

"What's this?!" Acnologia glowered. "You're still resisting?! What, are you afraid to die?!"

"No!" Natsu declared weakly. "I just…can't die now!"

Acnologia paused for a moment, showing confusion.

Then, his face spread into a wicked grin.

"Is that so?" he sneered. "Then go on, keep resisting! It'll make all the more savoring when I crush your soul into pieces!"

Acnologia tightened his hold even more. Natsu fought through the pain as much as he could. He wrestled with Acnologia to release his soul. He couldn't let this deranged man kill him.

He had to fight. He had to. For everyone's sake, he had to fight.

But that was proving to be too hard to do. Acnologia was stronger than him. As much as Natsu fought, he couldn't stop the evil Dragon Slayer from crushing his soul. The harder Acnologia squeezed, the weaker Natsu became.

The only thing that kept Natsu fighting now was the images of his friends and comrades. Happy, Gray, Erza, Gajeel, Wendy; everyone in his guild. Everyone outside of his guild. Everyone who had put their lives on the line for the sake of Fiore.

But most of all, Lucy.

Every single memory of Lucy that Natsu had flooded through his mind. The good and bad. Every one of them was precious to him. They were his anchor.

She was his anchor. She was the reason he couldn't die. He had to see her again. He had to.

 _"Lucy."_

Natsu's strength waned. He wasn't last much longer. He was fading fast. He could just barely hear Acnologia start to laugh with malicious triumph.

 _"Lucy!"_

"How does it feel to know that you're going to die?!" Acnologia yelled. "When you get to the afterlife, tell your Dragon that he failed to stop me!"

Acnologia slowly tightened his grip for the death crush. Natsu shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth, waiting for the end.

 _"LUCY!"_

Just as Acnologia was about to kill Natsu, something came shooting down from the sky towards him. He looked just in time to see a golden something rapidly approaching him like a comet. But before he could react to it, he was hit square in the chest.

Acnologia felt all the wind knocked out of him, and he flew back into a crystal pillar. It shattered into tiny shards, and rained down on him as he fell to the ground.

Natsu gasped as he felt the crushing pressure suddenly leave him. He coughed and sucked in as much air as he could. He felt a pair of warm, gentle hands lift his head up. His senses swam, making him feel that he was under water. As he struggled to bring his world back into focus, he began to hear a voice. At first, it sounded like it was a long way off. But with each passing second, it became clearer.

"Natsu! Talk to me! Natsu!"

Natsu heart leaped. He knew that voice.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. Above him was a blur of gold. He blinked a few times to bring his vision into focus. Once he did, he found himself staring up into the very face that he wanted to see most of all.

"Lucy?"

As soon as Natsu spoke her name, Lucy let some of her tears fall with relief.

"I made it," she whispered. "I made it time."

Whether it was from the stress of the moment, or the insane relief of being saved from a gruesome death, Natsu reached his hand up to Lucy's face. She stiffened and blushed as his fingers lightly touched her cheek. He then placed his whole hand on the side of her face.

"Sorry," he said, "I just had to be sure. You're really here, right?"

Lucy smiled at Natsu and reached up to touch his hand with her own.

"Yeah," she replied. "I heard your voice call out to me. But you sounded like you were in danger. I was afraid I wasn't going to make it in time."

Natsu stared for a moment. He knew he didn't call out to Lucy with his voice. Yet, he still called her.

The voice in his mouth might not have been able to reach her, but the voice in his heart did.

"Don't worry, I'm fine now." Natsu assured. "Much better now that you're here."

At that moment, both Natsu and Lucy heard a sound. Both of them looked over to see Acnologia rising up out of the rubble. He lifted his head towards the two of them, his eyes showing clear bafflement.

And much to Natsu's surprise, he had a bruise on his chest that had not been there before.

Did Lucy do that to him?

"You!" Acnologia glared at Lucy. "How did you get here?! I only allowed the Dragon Slayers to enter my time! You shouldn't be here!"

Lucy looked nervous for a second. She then gave a determined scowl.

"So you're Acnoloiga," she narrowed her eyes. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but when my friends call out for my help, I'll bust through any barriers to get to them."

"What did you say?!"

"You tell him, Lucy." Natsu grinned.

With Lucy's help, Natsu rose to his feet. Lucy let him lean up against her for support. Once he was stable, he wrapped one arm around her waist, and she wrapped one arm around his.

"Lucy, listen." Natsu whispered. "I need you to fuse your Magic with mine."

"I know." Lucy nodded.

Natsu blinked and looked down at Lucy. She returned his gaze with a confident grin.

"Let's just say someone has already filled me in on the details."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. Did that mean that the same person who spoke to him also spoke to Lucy?

Natsu was about to ask that question when Acnologia suddenly began to laugh.

"You think just one more person is enough to stop me?" he said. "I am the Demon Dragon. I can devour all Magic."

Instead of looking concerned or afraid, Natsu just gave a mischievous grin.

"That's not what I heard," he taunted. "Why didn't you devour Lucy's Magic when she attacked you? And why do you have a bruise now? None of our attacks put so much as a scratch on you, yet she was able to do some damage."

Acnologia's eyes widened. That made Natsu spread the grin on his face even more.

"It's because you CAN'T devour her Magic. Lucy is a Celestial Wizard, and you can't devour Celestial Magic, can you?"

"What?! How do you-?!"

Acnologia never got to finish his question because at that moment, a strange aura began to appear around the two Fairy Tail wizards. It was a kind of whitish orange flame that flickered and danced like a candle's fire. The powers of the Fire Dragon Slayer and Celestial Wizard were fusing together to create another power altogether.

"Get ready, Acnologia!" Natsu warned. "Because the balance of power has shifted!"

Once again, Acnologia was feeling that energy he had felt before. Only now, it was even stronger.

Then, for a single moment, he saw something. Something that made his eyes widen in shock.

Right where Natsu and Lucy were standing, a ghostly figure of a sleeping woman appeared before him. A woman with long emerald hair. Slowly, she lifted her head and opened her cyan Dragon-like eyes.

As soon as she looked at Acnologia, she faded away.

Acnologia stared. Then, his eye narrowed dangerously.

"Right," he said in a low voice. "I get it now."

Acnologia straightened himself up. He lowered his head to hide his eyes in the shadow of his bangs. His frown slowly grew into a creepy smile.

"Balance of power has shifted, huh? We'll just see about that."

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in a world surrounded by nothing but shadow and stars, a mighty creature stood up. Lifting his head towards the sky, he opened his golden eyes, and spread his giant wings. His scales shone like the stars themselves, and the moon on his forehead gave off a silvery radiance._

 ** _"So, that's what she's decided. The time has come to end this once and for all. The fate of the world lies in their hands now. I leave this fight to them. My battle will be in Earth Land tonight."_**

* * *

 ** _While the Wings of Despair Continue to Fly, Wings of Hope are About to Take Flight._**

* * *

 ** _To Be Continued in the Next Chapter: Wings of Hope_**


	4. Chapter 4: Wings of Hope

**Wings of Hope**

* * *

 ** _A Star from the Heavens Descends to Smite the Darkness. The Fate of Fairy Tail is Upon Them._**

* * *

 _With Blue Pegasus…_

"Anna, are you sure there isn't anything we can do to help?!" Jellal asked, the urgency in his voice was apparent.

Anna shook her head sadly. The look in her eyes was one of hopelessness.

"Acnologia is too powerful," she said. "The only thing we can do is hope the Dragon Slayers are able to defeat him. But we don't have a prayer of defeating his Dragon form."

"We won't know unless we try." Hibike protested. "With all due respect, if we just try and pull our strength together, then I'm sure we can…"

"This isn't about pulling our strength together anymore!" Anna suddenly snapped.

Everyone stepped back in surprise. Anna had been so calm and reserved up until this point, even when Acnologia almost had them in their clutches on the now-destroyed Christina airship. But now, she seemed to be a totally different person. She was clearly upset, and looked like they had lost the war.

"Acnologia cannot be defeated by anyone who isn't a Dragon Slayer." Anna went on, her voice breaking with sadness and shame. "The time lapse failed. And if the Dragon Slayers are defeated, then there's no hope left for this world. I'm sorry, but that's the truth."

"Then…what will become of us?" Jenny asked fearfully.

Anna didn't reply. She just stood where she was, and cast her gaze down to her feet. She didn't need to answer that question. They already know what it was.

"No." Jellal clenched. "There has to be something we can do. Erza and the others are in grave danger."

All of a sudden, Anna jolted. Her eyes widened immensely, and the look on her face was one of shock. She raised a hand to her heart, and slowly lifted her head.

"Miss Anna?" Ichyia said, concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"It can't be…" Anna whispered under her breath.

The blond-haired wizard turned around and ran to the edge of the small landmass. She stopped and looked the eastern horizon. The defeated and despair look that had plagued her brown eyes had vanished. Instead, it was replaced with a glimmer of surprise and hope.

 _"I know this power! I've felt it before! A power as strong and fierce as the heavens! Master, is this you're doing?!"_

* * *

 _Moments Before; in Magnolia…_

"Okay, that's done." Lucy said, taking two Zodiac Keys and an Onyx Key. "Thanks, Yukino. I promise, I'll give these back when this is over."

"I know you will." Yukino replied. "But are you sure about this? Are you sure you can trust this person?"

"Yes." Lucy nodded with certainty. "I can't explain it, I just know that whoever's speaking to me is telling the truth."

"Then I guess we have no choice." Erza said. "I trust your intuition, Lucy. Just be careful."

Lucy nodded at the red-headed wizard and swallowed hard.

 _"Don't be afraid, Lucy,"_ the mysterious voice said calmly. _"I promise, when the time comes, you'll be ready. Just trust in me."_

Lucy took a deep breath. As much as she wanted to believe the person that was talking to her, she couldn't help but tremble a bit with fear. She didn't know when she would be summoned to help the Dragon Slayers. The longer time passed, the more anxious she became. If only she knew what was going on in the ravines of time.

 _"Lucy."_

Lucy gasped when she heard the faint sound of her name. The voice that called to her wasn't the same person who had been talking to her. She knew that voice.

 _"Lucy!"_

 _"Natsu?!"_

Lucy's heart raced. She was hearing Natsu's voice in her head. She should've been elated to hear his voice. Instead, she was worried. He sounded like he was in pain.

 _"LUCY!"_

 _"NATSU!"_

 _"He calls!"_ the mysterious voice said. _"Go to him, Lucy! Hurry!"_

Before Lucy knew what was happening, she felt something pull her up towards the sky at such an incredible speed.

* * *

"LUCY!"

Everyone shouted and screamed as they watched the Celestial Wizard shoot up towards the night sky. She was engulfed in a golden light, and moved at such a high speed that she looked like a shooting star.

The moment she reached the heavens, she disappeared.

"Where'd she go?!" Levy said, trembling.

"She must have gone into the ravines of time!" Mest said.

"You think she'll be okay?" Lisanna asked, worried.

"As long as she's with the other Dragon Slayers, I'm sure she'll be fine." Mira said, trying to be calm. "Especially if she's with Natsu."

"I hope so." Lisanna replied.

"In the meantime, we need to get ready to defend Magnolia." Minerva ordered. "Acnologia's Dragon form will be here any minute, and we need to raise as much defense power as we can."

At that moment, a monstrous roar cut through the silence and rattled the land. It reached down into every single wizard's soul, striking them with absolute terror.

"It's too late!" Orga shouted. "He's here!"

Sure enough, Acnologia's Dragon form came flying straight towards Magnolia.

Before any of the wizards had time to react, the Etherion Dragon released a powerful attack that sent several balls of energy in different directions. They all hit the earth with a mighty force that caused everyone to fall to the ground.

"What do we do?!" Yukino cried.

"Freed, Levy, start using your strongest defense enchantments!" Erza demanded. "Gray, Mira we'll do what we can to hold him back!"

"Are you serious?!" Gray protested. "You just saw what he did!"

"We've got no choice! Now c'mon!"

Gray hesitated for a moment. It was only when he glanced over at Juvia that he made up his mind. This was probably the dumbest thing he had ever done in his life, but Erza was right, they didn't have any other choice.

If Acnologia succeeded in wiping out Magnolia, then no doubt Juvia would really die. He couldn't let that happen. Not a second time.

"Let's go."

With that, Mira transformed into her Satan Soul, Erza equipped into her Heaven's Wheel armor, and the three of them raced off to face Acnologia.

In the meantime, Freed and Levy gathered all of the wizards together and began putting up the strongest defense Magic they could muster. Although they had some time to recover from their fights with Alvarez, they still weren't not at full strength. At the most, their defense would only be able to protect everyone from one blow.

Erza, Gray, and Mira charged at Acnologia from three different sides, hoping to confuse him. Erza summoned as many swords as she could, and threw them all at once towards his left wing. Mira swooped down and struck down against his right flank. Gray used his Demon Slayer Magic to hit him in the face with an Ice Demon Rage attack.

For a moment, their coordinated attacks managed to slow Acnologia down. However, before they had time to retaliate, he swung his massive arm and knocked them aside like they were nothing more than flies. Erza and Mira flew straight into buildings, and Gray was sent tumbling across rooftops.

"GRAY, NO!" Juvia cried as she watched her love slam into a chimney.

Gray grimaced in agony. That attack did some serious damage, and he knew it. The wound on his stomach reopened, and his bandages began to become stained with crimson blood.

Erza slowly lifted herself up and looked up to see where Acnologia was. What she saw filled her with fright.

"GRAY, LOOK OUT!" she screamed.

Gray looked up, and saw something that made his blood run even colder than ice.

Acnologia's massive jaws were closing in on him swift and fast. Gray could already see down the monster's throat, feel it's awful breath, and the saliva on the Dragon's fangs flew towards him.

Gray raised his arms and waited for those horrible jaws grab him. He didn't have enough power to defend himself. He had to take the fate that was closing in on him.

But just as Acnologia was about to put an end to the Ice Maker Wizard, he stopped.

Time stopped as Acnologia suddenly froze like a statue. Everyone collectively held their breath, waiting to see what he would do next.

As if completely forgetting about Gray, Acnologia lifted up his head and turned toward the south. A low, guttural growl escaped from his mouth. It was one of those growls that an animal would do when they sensed a threat. And by the way that Acnologia was looking toward the horizon, it was like there was something there that only he could see.

Suddenly, Acnologia flapped his wings and took off towards the south.

A long silence spread throughout the town Magnolia. Only the sounds of everyone's breathing could be heard. No one knew what just happened, and no one had the effort to even ask.

Why did Acnologia just retreat? More to the point: where was he going?

* * *

Acnologia's Dragon form flew on. Flying over the Kingdom of Fiore with a fierce intention. He was chasing a power. Nothing else mattered. The only thing he was focused on was finding the source of his power.

Even as he flew over the port town of Hargeon, he ignored all of the screams of terror from the wizards below. They were not important to him now. They could wait for their demise.

What he was following was something that could not be ignored. Not by him.

Acnologia flew out to the sea. He flew on until he came to an island with a large tree growing in the center of it. It was an island that he had been to before. The one where he had first felt this power.

Tenrou Island.

However, unlike last time, there was something on that island. Something that Acnologia was seeking to eliminate.

* * *

A huge, mighty Dragon hovered above the Great Tenrou Tree. If it was not for the glistening and shining of his star-like scales, he would've been impossible to see against the darkness of the night sky. His golden eyes narrowed as he saw a black dragon with blue swirly patterns approach the island. Even with such little light, he could see the Etherion Dragon clearly.

 **"You followed your instinct, I see,"** he said. **"Drawn to the place with the most power. Seeing as you are nothing but a shell now, I'm not surprised."**

Acnologia looked up at the Dragon and let out a roar of challenge. The Dragon responded by flying towards the Etherion Dragon. When he was in range, Acnologia made an attempt to slash at the Dragon's head. However, the star-scaled Dragon was swift and dodged the attack. In response, he brought his Dragon claws up and made a deep gash in Acnologia's underbelly. Acnologia howled in pain as his opponent dug his claws into his skin, drawing blood.

Acnologia pushed the Dragon off of him and few back a small distance. The wound in his stomach hurt horrible, and dark blood was dripping out of it.

However, after a second or two, it began to slowly heal. A dark mist-like substance began to lick around the wound and close it up.

The other Dragon saw the affects, but didn't seem to be shocked.

 **"You can't even speak anymore?"** he said grimly. **"It does pain me to see you like this, old friend. To think you used to be a good person. Is this what turning into a Dragon reduced you to? Are you really that far gone now?"**

Acnologia snarled viciously, turning back to the Dragon with savagery. The Dragon readied himself for the fight that was to come.

 **"Have it your way. Just remember, I'm the one Dragon that cannot be slain. Not even by you."**

* * *

 ** _"Igneel, my old friend, you and the other Dragons will be able to rest in peace soon. The terror of Dragons will end tonight. In the ravines of time, and here. At Tenrou Island, where it all began. That I can promise you."_**

* * *

 ** _The Wings of Despair Battles the Wings of Hope. Who Will Emerge as the Ruler of the Night?_**

* * *

 ** _To Be Continued in the Next Chapter: Starfire Unleashed_**


End file.
